Yeah, when we bought our house , we stopped the maintenance of the backyard with chemicals that the previous owner did. Planted more native shrubs and trees and now eight years later we have got a pretty vibrant patch, with lots of birds feeding on the bugs.
Of course this has put me in conflict with my neighbors who make snide comments about a poorly maintained yard... sigh
I agree with you all’s sentiment. But, I wish it was a simple as letting things get ‘back to nature’ but it’s not unfortunately. I live in a rental, halfway through our second year lease.
We have a really large, fantastic yard. It is landscaped nicely with mostly ’native’ plants. Rhododendron, azaleas, among others. Also full of large, old growth trees. Many probably 150-200 years old according to the arborist who came out and surveyed recently.
Due to the large tree canopies in the neighborhood, we have an unbelievable bird population. Numerous small birds special, huge seasonal flocking birds passing through, hawks, even a couple resident owls. Huge amounts of squirrels and small mammals.
Unfortunately, we still have a horrible mosquito problem in the summertime. It’s really almost unbearable. I strongly considered having the yard sprayed last year, but resisted the temptation.
Of course this has put me in conflict with my neighbors who make snide comments about a poorly maintained yard... sigh